Turtles!
Alternative title: Tartarugas!
Platform: Magnavox Odyssey2
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: Odyssey? Joystick
Genre: Maze
Gametype: Undefined
Release Year: 1983
Developer: Magnavox
Publisher: Magnavox
Players: 1
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In the multi-storey "Turtle Towers Hotel" baby turles are being held prisoner by deadly beetles. It is your job to help an adult turtle to rescue as many baby turtles as possible, and there's a reward for each baby turtle found and rescued. But you'll have to be careful... If a beetle catches your turtle it will kill it instantly. However, you do have another three turtles standing by to take over the rescue mission. Now see how many points you can make before your four turtles are used up and the game ends.

N.B. Numbers in the text refer to illustrations contained on a flap inside the back cover.

Starting a Series:

To begin a new series of games, press RESET/DEPART and a picture of the hotel will appear with the turtle outside it. This picture will also return automatically a few seconds after each game to remind you of the highest score in the series, unless of course a new game is started right away.

A game is started by pressing either "0" or your ACTION button , or by moving either of the joysticks . This brings to the first screen a plan of the hotel's first floor , with the adult turtle in the bottom right hand corner. Using your joystick, you can move the turtle in any direction through the hotel corridors. In this way, you must guide it to any room containing a baby turtle, but remember to stay out of the way of those deadly beetles !

Baby turtle or deadly beetle egg?

Each hotel room has a question mark , and this indicates the presence of a baby turtle... or does it?

Some rooms in fact contain a nasty egg which, when disturbed by the turtle, immediately hatches into yet another deadly beetle. And you'll have to be quick to avoid any fatal contact.

Finding a Safe Place:

When you do find a baby turtle, it climbs onto the turtle's back. At the same time, a place of refuge will appear at some randomly selected part of the hotel. Now you have to guide your turtle to that refuge where the baby turtle can be safely deposited. To do this you need strong nerves and quick reactions. Because all the time, the deadly beetles are becoming increasingly skillful!

Intelligent Deadly Beetles:

At first the beetles are "blind" and move at random. These blue beetles, however, soon grow into yellow ones, with the ability to see in straight lines. And once they catch sight of your turtle they'll follow it relentlessly. But that's not all. Very soon the yellow beetles will turn red and acquire the power to "see" round corners! Your turtle, however, is not entirely defenceless.

Beetle Bombs:

One weapon your turtle has is a supply of beetle bombs - three to start with. If a beetle gets too close, just press your ACTION button and the turtle will release a beetle bomb . These are harmless to the turtle, but will explode when touched by a beetle, changing it back to its original blue, blind condition. In fact your turtle can even safely pass by a beetle that's just been blasted. And each explosion gains you valuable bonus points. You are limited though to using one bomb at a time, so make sure it counts. You can also increase your turtle's load of bombs by taking it past the supply store, indicated by a flashing cross at the centre of the screen. Whenever your turtle runs out of bombs, an intermittent buzzer will warn you to pick up some more. Up to 99 bombs can be used in each game.

Moving to a Higher Floor:

When all the baby turtles on the first floor have been rescued, your turtle will move up to the second floor . After clearing the second floor, it will move up to the third floor, and so on. But as your turtle moves up from one floor to the next, the game becomes increasingly difficult, with more deadly beetles and fewer beetle bombs. Your task will also be complicated by changes to the layout of rooms and corridors on the higher floors. The third floor , for example, is different from the first and second floors.

Indentification Panel:

Whenever a game is in progress, an identification panel containing various numbers can be seen at the bottom of the screen.

This provides the following information:
= number of turtles in reserve (not counting the one in use)
= number of beetle bombs in turtle's possession
= total score of game in progress
= number of baby turtles rescued
= current hotel floor number

Scoring:
Finding a baby turtle  100 points
Carrying it to safety  150 points
Finding a beetle egg    80 points
Bombing a beetle        50 points

The winner is the player with the highest score in a series, or the one who gets the most points during a specified time.

~From the Turtles Manual
